HACKENSACK - City firefighters quickly doused a car fire on Essex Street on Monday afternoon after the driver and his young son escaped the vehicle as it filled up with smoke, said a spokesman for the fire department, Lt. Justin Derevyanik.

He said the driver saw flames coming from the front of his Honda CR-V, a compact SUV, after getting his son out of the vehicle. Firefighters received the call at 3:14 p.m., Derevyanik said.